US presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders has called for the replacement of the Democratic National Committee’s chairwoman, arguing she has worked in favor of his rival, Hillary Clinton.
The Vermont senator who has failed to secure the delegates needed for nomination of the Democratic Party is a staunch critic of the party’s superdelegate system among other things.
Speaking Tuesday at a news press conference outside his campaign headquarters in Washington, DC, Sanders touched upon a “fundamental transformation of the Democratic Party,” including replacement of Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.)
“I do believe that we have to replace the current Democratic National Committee leadership,” he said. “We need a person at the leadership of the DNC who is vigorously supporting and out working to bring people into the political process.”
This was not the first time Sanders censured the party for favoring the former First Lady, who has so far surpassed the 2,383 delegates needed for nomination.
"We need major, major changes in the Democratic Party in converting it to a party of the people — welcoming working people and welcoming young people," Sanders said. "And we need an electoral process which is worthy of the Democrats."
According to the Hill, Sanders' demands comprise “same-day voter registration, an increase in staffing at precincts, a guarantee of open primaries and an end to the party's use of superdelegates.”
The senator argues that some of the superdelegates had endorsed Hillary eight months before the primaries began in the United States,
"We also need, obviously, to get rid of superdelegates. The fact that we had, in this case, 400 superdelegates pledged to a candidate some eight months before the first ballot was cast was, in my mind, absurd," Sanders said.
The Washington Post claims, however, that Sanders is factually wrong.
In his fight with Schultz, Sanders has said he would support her opponent, Tim Canova, in a primary race this summer.
“Well, clearly, I favor her opponent,” Sanders told CNN in May. “His views are much closer to mine.”
In his Tuesday presser, Sanders ignored the reporters' questions on if he will quit the race, saying, "We are going to fight as hard as we can."